Who is a traditional musician is the question.

May I submit a name, an example.

One who graces these halls here at Mudcat-----Jean Ritchie-------is truly a traditional singer. Her songs and ballads give us a view her life with her family in those Kentucky hills--singing through all the years of my life, or so it seems, just so I/we might know some of that music and serenity they knew. If not for Jean coming to New York, we would, in all probability, not known about the 3-string mountain dulcimer. If not for her family loving and saving and singing their ballads that have been PASSED DOWN through generations and collected for us all to have and to marvel at--------well, I can't imagine not having the Ritchie family in my life through Jean!. That makes us who learn from her links on that same chain of tradition----part of the machinations of the folk process. And, as we used to joke in the 1960s, no, Virginia, the folk process is not Odetta's hair style! The folk process is the workings that can make the lead turn to gold. And that DOES take time. But time is all we've really got. (Singing my songs that I got from others mostly was always a bit like alchemy I thought. I'd sing into thin air--------and come home with the rent.)

Read Jean's book, folks, SINGING FAMILY OF THE CUMBERLANDS. Listen to the Folkways record of Jean's dad, Balis Ritchie, singing "Joe Bowers". Listen to the girls sitting around and giggling at the slightly naughty ending of the ballad when "the baby had red hair"---and reveals who was messing around maybe.----------People, you cannot get into these nourishing waters and not KNOW EXACTLY who a traditional singer is.

Ms. Jean, if you are lurking about tonight, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

And Jean is just one of the hundreds if not thousands of traditional singers who have enticed me into learning their songs and becoming a link on their long chains also.

There was Paul Durst, Wes Asbury, Clarence Mussehl, Jim and Julia Shelby, Blind Jim Brewer, Hattie Presnell, Dave Thompson, Bill Chipman ----- even Sandy Paton---Sam Hinton, Josh White, Jerry Rasmussen, Ed and Gordon and so many others I never actually met; Woody,Leadbelly, Emery Denoyer, W.N.Allen (Shan T. Boy) But it's late and time to click this off. Thnks for indulging me.----As Bob Bolton'd say, "G'night"

Art Thieme